


You Make It Worthwhile

by tiyrol



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Airplanes, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Los Angeles, M/M, Motorbikes, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Strangers to Lovers, Swearing, Traveling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:26:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28487535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiyrol/pseuds/tiyrol
Summary: Skeppy was longing for the comfort from another, to fall into their arms and feel at bay. The city made him feel like he was drowning, left lost and alone.Bad picked him out of the dark, showed him the light of the city, or should it be said Darryl did so?-Or, Skeppy and Bad accidentally meet, Bad thinks of a great idea to prank Skeppy by hiding his online persona to his best friend, that was until the prank spiralled into feelings that he couldn't hide any longer, enjoying the adventurous relationship more than the smiles they shared online.
Relationships: Zak Ahmed/Darryl Noveschosch
Comments: 60
Kudos: 137





	1. Nights Are Long When You Feel Alone

**Author's Note:**

> This is more of a backstory of what's going on, next chapter will include more of the story!
> 
> In this, Skeppy isn't clear of what Bad actually looks like. I know this isn't realistic but it goes with the storyline.This is based from when Skeppy lived in LA but they have the friendship they have now.
> 
> Video context to this chapter, (Not needed to watch but if you want here it is): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8SjvdQMmEo

The bright lights of the city looked exciting at the first glance a few weeks ago when Skeppy skimmed his eyes over the larger landscape than he was used to. Motorbikes rushed past his hopeless, lost body with a gust of wind, engine roaring giving him a slight startled jump from the unexpected motion.

The city took him by surprise at first, from its loud atmosphere of constant ruckus and parties, it was a scene he never saw himself living in and when he was placed in the unfamiliar city, he felt as if he was living a life that wasn’t meant for him, the shoes he was forced to wear from his leasing plan seemed to be a size too large, never comfortably fitting snug to his feet.

It was never that he was uncomfortable with the ideas of flashing lights and casinos, he just wished he wanted it a little more than he did in the current moment. He felt something was missing, when the lost feeling was found he would feel _l_ _ike_ the flashing lights that littered themselves across the taller buildings that peered over his smaller frame, blurring right into the crowds that he so hated at the beginning.

His friends were even more weary on the newer atmosphere, obviously feeling uncomfortable with the unfamiliar place that they soon were forced to call home. It never felt like home, though. Their lives clashing together in all the wrong ways, as if the puzzle pieces were found from a completely different box, all being tipped into one, neither one of them fitting together in any way.

Schedules being incompatible with some members staying awake like a night owl at early hours in the morning, some having a strict schedule of early morning showers and evacuating the house by 10. It would never work, some shushing others from their work because they wanted to sleep and were heavily disrupted even as much as they plugged their ears with the tips of their fingers, the sound barley being muffled.

A lot moved away, some never even _arrived_. Skeppy wasn’t sure if it was because of reasons with law or if they heard stories about the home and decided to not even try to show up to the hell hole.

Skeppy felt lonely after weeks alone in the overly large space for one person, the amount of bills being posted through his letter box wasn’t much of a help for his mental health too, yet he was too afraid to do what made him feel happy because it was as equally just as _selfish_.

He was alone constantly, he longed for touch from anything, _anyone_ but with no avail, just becoming even more touch deprived every waking day.

He was reaching his limit of patience with himself and his surroundings, even when looking out the window at the flashy lights it made his skin crawl and a bitter taste make its way into his mouth, taking over any taste buds with the remaining flavour of sweetness.

He hated the feeling, the feeling of wanting to escape a place where the exit was locked up with chains and restrictions. He felt lost, searching for a touch that would make him feel life, the life similar to the feeling that everyone described would come from the atmosphere of the flashy city, yet, the description of the feeling never seemed to appear. 

The life he was set up to live was hard, draining and made him feel less motivated every passing day. The city was drowning, crowds and colours washing over him like a towering wave on an empty sea. The surroundings just seemed loud and overwhelming, he’d had enough of feeling like he was a tiny fish in the large space of water compared to the larger sharks that circled him like he was prey.

He was losing his motivation, each day becoming more daunting with his uneven schedule that he hated to follow, even if there wasn’t much to it to follow, the time where he was left to do his own thing was the time he hated the most, his feet carrying him to the couch where he would stare up at the ceiling examining nothing in particular, boredom washing over his small body that was swallowed by the large city.

Skeppy was soon to break, his mind becoming fragile and frail as people would ask him questions on why he looked as if he hadn’t slept in days, clearly demonstrated by the large bags that seemed to make their home under his beady, milky brown eyes. It was true, he equally hadn’t and the bags were there to show it, he wanted nothing more than to curl up into the sheets that lay crinkled in his overly large bedroom, falling into the comfort of being happy, proud of his day even if it was the smallest achievement. The tanned skin man didn’t have many of those anymore, days playing on repeat like a broken recorder, same meals and occasionally a shower every few days, that was if he mustered up the energy to leave his bedroom. 

His curtains always seemed to be glued shut together, fabric brushing against each other leaving no sunlight and colourful lights to peer through, a reminder of his failure with a new start.

His viewers always seemed to be supportive even when his mood had dropped, acting like a lost puppy that was left alone by its family who moved away. He knew he could trust them to send him hearts in the chat box, doing anything to make the gloomy face crack a smile. 

Skeppy kept it locked away and hidden though, not wanted to exclude the fact that he was so close to breaking and crying every day, they didn’t deserve such a sad character in front of the screen but he really couldn’t take the constant pain and suffering anymore, hating the husky voice that left his throat from the lack of sleep, here leads us to the sad man, sitting idly on his chair, staring down at nothing in particular, trying to muster words to leave his throat without cracking into a million pieces, emotions unravelling like a ball of yarn in a kittens grasp in front of thousands of his supporters.

“I just feel so alone,” The man continued from his previous statement explaining his situation. Explaining his built up emotions to the online crowd of thousands, he was so close to shattering into tears, afraid of one wrong move and he’d fall into a deep pit of icy cold water, feeling like sharp needles pricking against his skin.

His dark caramel eyes skimmed over the chat box quickly, trying to read a singular message as more rushed in, pushing the previous out of sight. He struggled doing this for a few seconds until finally stumbling across a message that was short and sweet, the chat lagging slightly making the message stay on the screen a little longer.

“Why don’t you just break the lease? I guess I could but,” Skeppy began, quoting the message that he previously read on the bright glowing screen that lied in front of his eyes, the light illuminating the slightly dimmed down room from the closed curtains and early morning hours. “I would lose so much money…” He continued, releasing a breath he didn’t notice he was holding, trapped hostage in his lungs. 

It wasn’t as if he was in a financial position to be struggling for money from his big escape in the flashy city, he just thought it would be incredibly selfish to do so, to run away from the place he hated the most just because he couldn’t handle the next five months? The idea of being so selfish crossed the man’s mind many times before but he never seemed to take the idea into action, preventing his bank account from taking most of the damage.

He sometimes wondered if he should feel selfish for _not_ doing so, attacking his mental health in so many directions until he fell down to the ground, the energy and want to get up vanished out of any sight or reach. There were so many reasons on why he was sat in front of a stream, emotions exposed as if someone ripped the layer of skin covering him from the public yet the tanned man began to wonder if the main reason was because he was longing for an escape, someone to hold him and tell him it would be okay, a figure he so desperately wanted in his life yet the mystery person was so out of reach, Skeppy thought he would be willing to do anything to get the person by his side, whoever they were.

Skeppy was always one to believe that there was always someone meant for him out in the world that seemed to be so drowning, someone to hold and cradle him in his arms and make him feel loved, to place kisses all over his face. Starting at his forehead which would make him giggle from the sensation, the kiss lingering on each spot it had been lied, the soft lips that he would so adore would travel down to his cheeks, making the blush that was so light before become the shade a blooming flower over his darker skin, the heat dancing over his skin making him feel flustered and embarrassed, just by someone that he loved so dearly. The feeling moving onto the corners of his lips, the sensation teasing over his smile that grew winder at the newfound feeling, the lips dancing over each spot of space around his face, avoiding anywhere but his lips.

Until the feeling made its way onto his lips, the warmth that was so desired finally falling onto his soft lips, he would drown into the face in front of his, whining from the contact that he longer for and finally received, the affection would burst through his lips and make him smile, only to push forward even more trying to cover himself in more of the feeling that he so desperately desired every night, staring up at the ceiling just to wonder what it would feel like to be loved.

Pure love and emotion would fall into his brain, limbs falling limp as he would melt away, eyelids fluttered shut along time ago and his brain would feel drowsy, high on a drug that seemed more like a medication. He would fall deeper into the feeling, admiring the way he felt as if he could feel comfort dancing over his skin; imitating the way the sun would crawl over his skin on hot Florida days, ice cream and family, pure bliss falling over his body, soaking up the feeling that he loved so much.

Touch deprived, he missed contact more than any other thing he had ever felt. His only desire being to fall into someones arms, the feeling being so wanted by the other who would just hold him in with no questions, pure love radiating from the person, just because they cared so dearly.

Being alone in the big city was something that Skeppy so hoped would fix his feelings, being surrounded by people being the fix to his long awaited comfort, yet it seemed just to make him feel even more excluded as he gazed out the window ever so often, his eyes would be met with couples who walked down the street with their hands intertwined, smiling at each other as their faces would meet, communicating wordlessly just from staring into the others eyes, a feeling and person Skeppy so desperately waited for, a person and figure in his life that he could communicate with just from blinking his eyes or giving off the littles body movement to mouth a silent ‘I love you’.

He was staring blankly at his chat, sometimes finding enough words to reply to messages, viewers trying their best to comfort the man that seemed so lost, yet he began to get lost in thought of what the comfort of someone would feel like on his own skin.

“I don’t know guys, I’m not really looking for a solution,” He began to talk after what must have been minutes of radio silence, “I just felt like I needed somewhere to talk about this, y’know?” He explained letting his breath even out, the eyes from the streamer glanced over to the chat, support messages flooding through pushing a weight off of his shoulder that felt so heavy.

He knew his viewers would understand, he knew he could talk to them about anything even if he didn’t know them personally, every message he saw made his insides smile and bloom, the smile being restricted from his face by the constant ache he would feel in his bones from the loss of skin on his own, a smile returned making him giggle.

He hadn’t really understood why he let his problems spill out so easily in front of the large crowd, especially not understanding the wanted outcome from telling the problems so carelessly. The man felt as if he shouldn’t be so sulky about the situation, how people that gave him support must have been going through so much more yet here he was complaining about being alone in the overpopulated city, how he didn’t want to _waste_ money, not because he didn’t have enough. His mind reassured him that it was okay to have emotions, okay to let a tear roll down his cheek ever so often, it was allowed.

The ping of a message radiated through his headphones that pressed against his ears, the soft cushion making it comfortable enough to keep them on for a longer period of time. The sound that was so dear to his heart, a ping from one person that would be awake at such hours with the easy care to message the man that sat alone.

“Hold on I think Bad wants to talk to me,” He said, stating the truth as his eyes flicker past buttons with various different outcomes on the overly intensely glowing screen, finding the exact one that would lead to his possible comfort.

His eyes move across the screen for just a moment to look over his viewers reactions, in front of his eyes is met with supportive messages like always added along with a few joys of the possibility of Bad joining, they made him smile because, well, he felt the same as they all did, all giddy from the man's easily brought comfort.

The man slightly struggled around with his mouse for a few seconds, the sounds of clicking and slight movements echoed through the stream, broadcasting to many that were watching with patience that was slowly being lost from the dragged on time waiting for another voice to fill the silent air, a little sweeter than the younger man’s voice that was slightly husky from lack of sleep.

Familiar sounds of channels connecting are played as Skeppy stares at his screen awaiting for his friend to act on his own moments and join the channel. With not much of a wait, the sound that was waited for played, Skeppy visibly perking up from his slouched down position on his desk, slightly out of frame of the webcam, the stream unable to see a section of his body that was slowly being lost to sleep.

“Hey man, I uh— was watching your stream,” The voice began, Skeppy assumed who it was by not only the actions and mentions of his name previously but his overly sweetening voice that sometimes seemed sickening gave it away instantly. It was as if Skeppy was drowning in a sea of frosting by how careful he traded with his voice, so subconsciously. The voice was laced with honey, added sugar and a tub of sprinkles. The younger man felt as if he could feel the colours of the sprinkles bursting through his voice; a smile would have fell to his lips if he didn’t feel so utterly lost and hopeless in the given moment.

There was still a worry in his mind despite the reassuring voice that was present in the call, he wished it could be so simple to disappear with such an easy solution, a comfort of another one's care floating through his ears, nothing was that simple; oh how perfect things would play out if they were.

“I was thinking, why don’t you just break the lease?” Bad said, almost clueless of how difficult and complicated the situation was behind the camera, how he broke down every night, contemplating the idea over in his head, over and over again; the constant thought that had no plans on stopping its constant repeat.

“I would but-” He was stopped by an unexpected sigh, “we both know it’s a lot more than that..” Skeppy wished it was a lie that slipped between the gaps of his teeth but it wasn’t reality as much as he dreamt it to be. 

The ideal world would have worked out so perfectly for him, cradled in another’s arms as they share secrets about their lives when they weren't stuck together like super glue. The embarrassing stories of childhood and preschool coming at so much ease to tell just because of the trust that was between the made up perfect person that Skeppy never knew if he would finally find.

“But—you’re, you’re miserable, Skeppy!” The older man said, expressing his worry for Skeppy’s mental health, clearly worried about his well being in the daunting apartment. Skeppy knew he should do what was right for his own health, yet, he couldn’t bring himself to do so. How much trouble he would be in if he did the idea he thought about every night, the thoughts that made his nights so sleepless.

“Hey! Why don’t you just—hm, uh- I don’t know, find a random stranger on the street!” The one across the line expressed as if he had come up with the best solution to the problem, as if it would fix every single drop of Skeppy’s worries. He perked his head up at the face cam at the silly statement, cracking a smile and a small giggle at his best friends unreasonable ideas.

Clearly hearing the slight change in mood across the call from Skeppy, Bad decides to nip back at the little giggle that he received at his words, “Mph- don’t laugh at me!” He defends himself from the sound he heard before continuing with a justifiable sentence, “Okay, _maybe_ not just any random muffin off the street but— You get what I mean!” He said, going back on his previous words, dragging out the maybe to emphasize his own point, the sentence sounding so much sweeter that way.

It was weird how much the bright light of a person could make his day shine, Skeppy believed that he couldn’t even wear a smile on his face that day, seen to be proven wrong just from the shortest conversation with his friend, gleaming up at the camera all giggly for a reason that was soon unknown.

Though the sentence shouldn’t have mirrored the idea to Skeppy, it still did. He had always fascinated himself living with the person that made him so happy everyday, ever since the offer he let down so many moons ago, an offer he deeply wished he took on.

Living with Bad seemed like a dream, to feel at home, run into his arms whenever he would feel like it. Falling asleep on the couch while they snuggled deeper into the warmth that lay beside them, popcorn discarded on the coffee table, leaving it for their future selves to clean up the next day.

To go out adventuring in the city that he hated so much, Bad being able to make it so enjoyable, Skeppy knew of it. To test out which stalls of snacks gave out the best freshly baked doughnuts, not nearly compared to the muffins they made at home together, the special ingredient lacing the recipe together, love.

Going out at night just to admire the bright lights that littered themselves across the outdoor world, mimicking the colours of stars and streetlamps on your childhood street, a black cat wandering underneath the orange glowing lamp.

Having just his company would be enough for Skeppy. Not only did this seem like the ultimate dream for him, he knew that the said scenario was also longed for by many, his phone mentions probably taking days to look though if said situation was to play through.

He wanted it so bad, more than he had ever wanted something in his entire life.

Who knew Bad was thinking the same thing, definitely not Skeppy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, chapters are going to be a lot more interesting than this in the future, just needed backstory!
> 
> Comments are VERY apricated!


	2. Make It Like The Teenage Years

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad decides he needs a certain pair of gloves before leaving. The idea of driving a motorcycle in the city would be described as a need instead of a want, in his mind.

The idea had been on Bad’s mind for a long time, actually, now that he thought about it, it was as long as Skeppy had mentioned to him about moving to LA, feeling a stream of envy run through his veins when he heard about the raven hair man’s plans with other people. Almost as if he was being taunted every time the man mentioned his new home.

Though Skeppy never enjoyed the place, the descriptions of the city made Bad gasp in awe, especially when he saw the balcony view of Skeppy’s apartment, feeling even more jealous that he wasn’t there, next to him; a place he left was made for his own figure to stand.

Bad knew Skeppy hated the place with his entire being, looking for an escape that seemed so impossible, though Bad had no idea how the place could seem so daunting and large, swallowing and intimidating when it was, quite literally Bad’s dream location, Skeppy being there just added to the need to be next to him.

Even when Skeppy shot down the idea of Bad around in the home, the said reason purely because of his state, the idea never left Bad’s mind, constantly coming back to the front of his brain when his best friend would complain about being alone so often.

So after the stream where Skeppy was almost longing for any kind of comfort, the idea came to life in Bad’s head, almost mimicking a flower blossoming after surviving the cold winter temperatures.

It could have been seen as unrealistic, foolish and overall just a stupid idea that was sure to cause more problems than good. Even after all these thoughts, Bad brought the original idea to life after seeing the man he admired most in his life falling down a pit of regret and isolation. It felt like a crime for Bad to just sit and watch the man fall deeper and deeper into the grave he had dug for himself by moving away from home into a new environment.

So what did he do? One of the most impulsive, quick decisions he had ever made in his life. He bought a plane ticket. The decision was not even one he regretted even after his plane was due to board in a few hours.

-

“Darryl, what really brought it in your head to actually think this was a _good_ idea?” His roommate began, only finding out about Bad’s plans to evacuate his home city when he was rushing around the home they shared, belongings in hand and in search of more. The reason for an escape went unknown to his housemate, his eyebrows furrowed as Bad rummaged his hands through a draw that hadn’t been touched for years, built up dust lining the edge of the storage unit, making the brunet shut the draw in a hurry as dust began to enter through his throat, making him struggle out cough which made his roommate jump back at the sudden sound.

“And why are you looking for things in here, this thing hasn’t been touched since you moved in,” He added, admitting his confusion for why Bad was in search for things that wouldn't matter, after the new information, Bad quickly walked away from reaslatsion and embarrassment. His roommate’s face had a sudden change in emotion before he spoke again, “Wait, how long are you planning to be gone?” 

“I’m not sure, but that’s not the point,” Bad replied, hands still fidgeting over surfaces and cupboards that he had even forgotten existed. “Hey, uh- do you know where that one thing is that you gave me a few years back?” He said, Green eyes locking onto ones in front of him as he finally turned back to his roommate after his unsuccessful search for an item his friend barely remembered, the lightly described trinket hazy in his mind. Bad’s eyes closed shut a little too tightly as he placed a hand on his head, as if the limb that was placed there would help him regain any memories of where the said item could be hidden in the household.

“You’re going to have to be a little more specific with that one, Darryl.” His friend mocked with a laugh escaping on the last syllable of his sentence. His words being supported by logic as the descriptions he was given were extremely vague, even so, he attempted to bring his mind clogs turning to help his frantic friend.

“Hmph- you know what I’m on about!” Stuttered Bad, a strange noise escaping has his hand got trapped in a small gap in the cabinet, a result from the thing not being opened in awhile, the pair’s minds combined together couldn’t even form a memory of what would be in the said storage case. “Y’know...the hand things!” Struggling to find the memory, Bad found a few words to describe the item he was in search for, hoping to make the thing become less cloudy in his friend’s mind.

“Do you mean the fingerless gloves?” His friend said after regaining the memory of giving the accessory to his friend for his birthday. 

“Yeah! Those things!” He reassured his roommate's assumptions by nodding while expressing his enthusiasm from the memory being resurfaced. 

“Why do you need those? I got those for you after you got the motorcycle licence, right?” The man questioned, clearly even more confused on why his roommate was in search of such specific items that had probably aged quite well from the last time they had human contact by the intended owner. Bad turned on his heel, about to exit the room in a deeper search before he was cut off from the next step, voice slightly raised from the larger distance between them. 

“Hey! Wait, where are you even going?” He added, almost threatening his question as he became even more confused by the minute, eyes filled with pure uncertainty, skin wrinkled, eyebrows furrowed, just adding to the image that the man had absolutely no idea what Bad was trying to achieve by leaving Florida in such a hurry.

“And _why_ are you going may I also ask?” At this point, his hands were matched with the frantic movement in search of the gloves, having no idea where they could be placed yet looking anyway. 

“That doesn’t matter, I just need to go and-” He responded yet before he could finish his own sentence that had no structure, clear from its added extra words that displayed no meaning, just being said as mind fillers giving Bad time to re-think his next words.

“Hey no. I know you. You don’t just leave because you want to,” He started, telling Bad all the things that he tried to block out of his own mind yet when being told by someone else, it made him realise how obscure this idea was from an outside perspective. “There’s more to this that you’re just too afraid to tell me.” His sentence finished with a light sigh, placing his own hands on Bad’s shoulders, the contact making Bad tilt his head up to look into the taller figures eyes, the pupils giving off a threatening stare as if they were holding him at gunpoint to explain his real motives.

With the extra encouragement, Bad gained his own courage to give into his real reasoning behind his grand escape, that wasn’t so grand in proportion to the billions of people on Earth that shared the same oxygen. “Look, It’s just- Zak. He needs me.” Bad said, cringing at his own words as he used his best friend's real name to his roommate who would be completely lost as if he were to blurt out his best friend's gamer tag. Bad’s mind was running wild from how the name felt to foreign on his tongue before he got cut off from falling into the headspace from a mocking laugh that he couldn’t quite wrap his head around the reasoning for.

“What?” Bad replied at the informal laugh, also giggling, breaking the previously tense atmosphere.

“Nothing, Nothing. It just makes a lot of sense.” The room went silent for a few moments, the air feeling tight once again before his roommate continued, breaking the intense stare of _don’t even_ from Bad. “Not like that- I mean. No, now’s not the time, I wasn’t even on about that--” He tried backing himself up to save himself a slap across the arm from the little joke he tried to play, not even intentional. “Look, what I _meant_ was I know how much you care about that Zak guy, It just makes sense, that’s all!”

“Yeah, I’m sure that’s what you meant.” The stare was still death-treating, his roommate knowing why, never to admit that the original sentence was hitting at the thing in the back of Bad’s mind that had been resurfaced. 

The stare was broken after a few seconds that almost felt like they were being dragged on into minutes before his well-know friend pulled a small box that was previously hidden behind his back, the case being tinted slightly with blue undertones, though, so light the box could easily be spotted as black from a quick glance, Bad paying deeper attention to its colours and undertones. 

It was wrapped together with a smaller blue ribbon which was slightly transparent, smaller blobs of glitter were encased in the midnight looking decoration. Bad’s eyes gaped open in realisation what was inside that box, the contents being scaled by such pretty casing.

Even so, he held no hesitation to pull the box out of his roommates hands, a little too harshly from excitement and peeling away the restricting ribbon that tied into a tiny little bow on top of the package that he recognized from a few years ago.

The room filled with light giggles from his roommate who showed his happiness though it shining through the laugh that caught Bad a little off guard yet it was soon washed over by his extreme happiness from holding the item in his hand that he had been in search for over countless hours, refusing to leave without it, the reasoning went unknown by his roommate.

The contents inside were even more jaw dropping then the hues of the box that he admired previously. An unexpected sight lay in front of Bad’s eyes, even more breath taking than he ever remembered. 

Leather gloves with a crimson red thread running through the material. Tips carefully sewn at a higher quality than you would see at your local convenience store, Bad held the box with care before he removed one of his hands from under the box that was being occupied as a support and instead, moved his fingertips to pick up the gloves with caution. 

It was as if he had been longing for the item in his own grasp, searching for it and finally receiving, quite literally since his search had finally been stopped by his roommate’s handiness. Bad had been thankful when being handed the in serahced for an object, his worry for missing the soon due plane had been eliminated when the gloves were laid in his own hands.

“Thank you so much!” Bad exclaimed a little after he had finished admiring the accessory but before he could stay enthusiastic, a few questions bubbled around his headspace. “Wait where even were they?” 

“Ah, Darryl. These are things you shouldn’t have to worry about. Now, don’t you have a Zak to get to?” The man in front of him suggested with a troublesome grin on his face, creeping wider as Bad’s facial expression faded from full of joy to a realization that the time until his plane had been boarding had been trimmed from his excessive amount of worry and search from an item inside their home. 

“Oh shoot! You’re right, thank you!” Were the last words his friend heard before Bad made his way inside his own room, preparing for the trip ahead of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a tiny bit less of a plot chapter except the mention of Bad going to LA but I didn't want to 1. Make this chapter five thousand words 2. Make it around another week without posting!
> 
> Sorry for the lack of plot and Skeppy here, stay tuned for chapter 2 because things start to get interesting.
> 
> Comments are VERY apricated!


	3. Oh so familiar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad takes his yearned for flight. Things are a little too familiar.

The impulsive decision to book a flight was so unthought out and sudden that Bad had completely erased the thought of his fear of planes out of his mind, the idea only recently daunting on him - though, he was far too deep in the plan that there was no backing out now, even if he wanted to and still - he knew he was ecstatic. 

The road felt unflattened, rocks recklessly laid out on the road making the tires jump, the sudden feeling obvious in the car that Bad was present in, driver taking their foot easy on the gas to prevent any major issues with the uneven road. 

He knew how ridiculous the idea was, let alone to play it out. So when he found himself sitting on the soft leather of a car whose seats were above the average of what he would usually sit in for an uber- result for his extra payment, he couldn't help to repeat unsure thoughts on the rather quick decision.

It would be wrong to say that he was second guessing it, because, frankly, he hadn’t been more adamant with something in his entire life. 

It was almost as if when the car pulled up to an immediate stop in front of his soon to be disregarded home and the bing echoing from his phone a few seconds later from a notification caused by the uber app that he knew he had made the right decision as if the outcome had been handed to him without any details, just the reassurance that _it would all work out_.

It wasn’t as if Bad knew the outcome, though as much as he yearned and begged to have some kind of description of what the world would be like, he was always ignored from his endless pleading inside his own brain. He always seemed to be questioning himself for making such big decisions without telling Skeppy. How he should’ve, could’ve said _something_ before making his way to the man in hopes of changing his mindset on his current living space. Yet, radio silence from Bad’s end.

Un-answered messages were lying in his inbox from Skeppy, Bad cringing at the thought of replying to the _’how r u?’_ He wasn’t sure if he could send a message reassuring Skeppy that his tiptoeing around him after buying the plane ticket two weeks ago was nothing to worry about, to tell him he was okay because he knew he didn’t have the courage to lie. Although he had built up enough to escape and leave the house he loved too much- _though he knew he would love wherever Skeppy was more_ \- lying to Skeppy seemed like too much, as if he would be overstepping the borders of his trust since, he had never lied to the man- disregarding the secret feeling of butterflies and a sudden rush of heat he would feel when hearing the words _’I love you’_ spill out of the man’s mouth; because _those_ he would never share the secret of, and that could set aside for the moment; preferably forever.

Maybe Skeppy would have shut him down if he told him he was joining him in the city, given Bad the final reason for his plan to be powered off in his brain, the idea becoming no more than a pointless dream. This seemed to be a power that Skeppy always seemed to have over Bad, the man falling to his feet with even a suggestion or plead from Skeppy.

He wondered if he would have been reassuring for Bad escaping his smaller Florida town to the quite the opposite description in LA. Maybe it was the endless amount of lonely calls Skeppy repeated on the stream that meant he would’ve accepted so quickly. Skeppy, obviously sending them off with no hope for an answer back his way yet, Bad could never seem to ignore, even if they were sent with completely different intentions. 

How could he ignore it? Skeppy had been aimlessly staring at his monitor and had been reflecting back onto his more tanned complexion making the dark circles caused by lack of sleep become more present. Bad adding that as another reasoning onto the list of reasons why he should help, he knew he had to be on the next page by now; the list had been piling up since the younger man had moved in, instantly wanting an escape when he looked out the window at nightfall. 

_Bright lights and bright people with wide smiles made it the whole less bearable_.

It hurt knowing Skeppy was breaking behind the shadows of his giddy online persona, even if he had been wearing a smile so wide for the webcam that was broadcasted to his viewers, the smile would immediately drop when the cameras were not pointed on him. Bad having to pick up the pieces of the broken man and glue him back together with his incoherent whispers that worked wonders, crying and whimpers falling silent as he would send Skeppy into a slumber before whispering the faint sweet murmurs to his friend. The faint ‘i love you’s’ would echo as he let him sleep; his dreams seemed to be described brighter on those days, Bad hoped they were linked.

His time lost in his brain, floating around unpleasant memories- some rescued by Bad’s reissuing whispers- brought him back, back to the reality of his plan that he couldn't back out of, locked in the car drive to the airport.

Bad pushed his head back into the soft, leather lines car seats letting his mind fall at ease. Letting out a long sigh at the memory, a small smile peeking at the corners of his mouth.

He had always thought Florida had the prettiest beaches, laced with the crisp scent of seawater rushing through his nostrils. Air seemed colder, pinching against his skin as his shoes would press deeper into the damp, darker sand that was painted out beneath his feet.

The sky was shining blue hues and the saturation seemed higher, making the day itself feel brighter. Sun glared through the windows that were surprisingly a lot more pristine compared to his own car, yet the sight would make sense linked with the last time that man had put effort into cleaning them.

All the running thoughts had made his head throb and the reality of it was, it was caused from how he hadn’t had the longest night of sleep from shuffling in the sheets hoping for a better position, grasping the sheets closer in search for a stronger warmth and flipping of pillows encased with a white, crisp layer making the bedding rather more pleasant to be in. Despise the comfort of the bed, it hadn’t been relaxing as it was made out to be, worries and doubts having a stronger hold on Bad’s brain, only to take advantage and wash over the headspace with thoughts that only made the night more restless when the sun rose higher; indicating the clocks ticking closer to morning hours.

He knew his appearance was telling of the reality that was hidden behind his bedroom door. Secrets revealed from the rather darker circles making their home under his eyes until their sleep was given, still not completely fading after doing so, light shadows marking that they once laid there; anyone to the public eye having a slight thought of why they had been called there in the first place.

So when the driver gave him a second glance after Bad opened the car door after temporarily disposing of his luggage in the car's trunk, he wasn’t surprised from the concerning glare, it wasn’t as if he was new to it.

He had immediately shut down any suggestions that Bad received from his roommate that offered to drive him to the airport, not only was his main reasoning to prevent himself from being a bother but, he also preferred if his friend didn’t witness the fidgeting of his hands or the way he began to chew his nails when staring blankly out the window, lost in not such reassuring thoughts. 

He knew his roommate would shoot him questions, queries and suggestions for his trip that were unwanted by Bad, and so, he decided to take the trip alone, not before getting a disappointed glance from his roommate, Bad shooting back a wobbly smile in attempts to send a silent _’sorry, I hope you understand’_.

Bad had felt the pull of a stop from the larger vehicle sooner than he had anticipated, caught off guard when he was cut from his endless, pointless thoughts by a husky voice from the other male in the car behind the overly expensive steering wheel.

“We’re here,” The man said, spinning his head to meet the forest green eyes behind the frames. Bad shooting slight smile as a small thank you before he decided he should settle on a more secure response as a thank you although he was sure the extra money in the man’s bank account would be enough, Bad decided he would be polite anyway; that being easy for him since it was part of his second nature.

“Thank you!” The words spilled rather enthusiastically as Bad presented a toothy grin when it dawned on him that he was only a few steps away from getting on an airplane, every minute on the aircraft would bring him closer to his best friend. The older man shot back a smile, lines on his paler skin becoming more prominent as his eyebrows fell into a rest that shot just as much happiness as the grin. The gesture not so lively as Bad, he wasn’t sure if it was from the man’s age or his lower happiness yet none of that mattered to Bad in the moment, too over-struck by the trip ahead of him.

He found himself opening the car’s door without a second thought, though he felt a slightly strange feeling in his stomach, he brushed it off; disregarding the feeling and blaming it on his nerves- the arm hairs that stood up were there to show.

Before he could walk in a further out of view of the car, he heard a faint yell from a man, the voice sounding frail- as if it wasn’t prepared to reach such volume levels. Bad turned his body around to have a further understanding of why the yelling was triggered.

He was met with the same man who had been rather kind to him previously with Bad’s luggage that was painted with an obnoxiously red shell.

It dawned on him that he had walked off without his possessions, leaving them in the stranger’s car- though Bad had the feeling the man was nice, he had no reason to leave behind all of his items- his reaction was to only let out a long sigh of relief that the stranger was kind enough to return the clothing and items. 

“Sir! You forgot your things!” The man said rather alarmed, hoping that he had gained Bad’s attention the first time, for extra measure, had called out loud in a panicked tone. 

To grab attention had been a huge success since multiple bystanders had turned to spectate the commotion.

Bad’s face fell to a flush of embarrassment as he realised his mistake caused by being in such a hurry of excitement, even after knowing his flight wasn’t due to board for a few hours.

Not soon after he had rushed to pick up his belongings from the stranger’s grasp did he complete his long awaited walk into the airport - not without its fair share of awkward glances and Bad slightly tripping over his own feet caused by his mind being occupied and running wild - did he finally reach the place that had been in his dreams for longer than he wanted to admit.

-

The airport was scarier than he imagined. There was not one reasonable explanation why the large, jam packed rooms seemed bigger than they actually were, yet, so much smaller at the same. 

Bad knew his fear of airplanes were more than heights, not that he was denying his fear of heights because, admittedly, the thoughts of skydiving made his skin crawl and he would never deny that being on the top floor of a skyscraper seemed like one of the worst scenarios he could be placed in but today, here, now; it seemed in the long run, so goddamn worth it.

He believed the entire atmosphere of it all was the thing making his thoughts go overboard into the hole of stress that he couldn’t dig himself out of. How the louder voices would scream louder than the music in his headphones that was at an alarmingly high volume, or how the number of passengers waiting to board the plane put Bad on edge more than he was originally. 

Despite the reassuring voices in his own head that it would all be okay, that this was only a fraction of the plan, how everything, in the long run, would make this feel like a tiny grain of salt. 

He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to _actually_ fall into the arms that he liked to call home despite never knowing the warm feeling. How running his hands through the younger's hair would feel. Soft fluffy strands falling limp under his touch, the bundle of hair in Bad’s grasp as he would press a kiss to- 

_Oh._

Yeah, maybe Bad wasn’t as good at controlling the feelings that he wanted to keep locked away as he thought. Even the thought of holding Skeppy in his arms made the feeling struck, blood run a little warmer and rush up to his own cheeks.

He knew how irrational it was, how everything was yet it didn’t seem to help such despised feeling. He wished it did. He wished how everything could be hushed away so easily, how the ideas of Skeppy being _his_ would run cold with the realization that he wasn’t, and never would be.

These were the thoughts that made plans like this feel unrealistic, drastic and everything his mind was screaming at him to _not_ be doing. 

Bad alone in the rather uncomfortable chair, hard plastic against his back making it hard to slouch down and relax for the countless amount of minutes he had scheduled to sit and be lost in his own thoughts. The minutes felt like _hours._ Very daunting, mocking hours, in fact. 

The hours that he would spend staring at the ceiling, going over every mistake and messing up part of the plan. 

Minutes he would spend fantasizing the ideas of Skeppy’s hands interlocked with his warmth and soft skin. 

Far too many seconds where he waited seemed to become longer and longer every time he would try to distract himself with his phone. Time display becoming too familiar in Bad’s mind.

_This will be a long flight._

-

It was becoming a reality, one Bad didn’t like; _one bit._

For some reason, he thought it would be reasonable to believe that he wouldn’t have to take the flight, sit in the taller seat, lined with tones of sapphire blue and smaller spots of purple spattered onto the design that, in Bad’s opinion, looked like something out of a child’s painting book. No more than fifteen minutes being spent designing the colours that painted themselves onto the fabric in all the ways imaginable that would look horrendous.

Bad had a tendency to over critique things when he was stressed, overthinking or insecure about his own thoughts. It was a habit he loved to deny, sometimes being his part time job to shut down the suggestions and queries. 

Today was no different, his mind was running wild like a police chase, red and blue lights replaced with roaring plane engines and the overhead speakers playing the attendance voice, sometimes booming though depending on whether the attendant was paying attention to how close their lips were to the electrical equipment, small strings of saliva spitting from her mouth as she spoke making Bad turn away in pure disgust and horror.

He wasn’t sure if happy was the way to describe his emotions right now. Whether he could bother to hover over the thought more than he was already doing every second that his mind was left to run free without a leash - the leash being Bad’s conscious. 

Being in the flying machine was a lot to handle, especially when Bad never thought he would find himself sitting there. Of course, Skeppy had to - unknowingly - call a puppy call to Bad, almost begging to be saved from the place that was described as a ‘hell hole’ from his close friend. 

It wasn’t as if Bad didn’t _want_ to travel to see his friend, obviously, by the fact he was on his way there facing one of his biggest fears but, Skeppy would always come first, especially when the thing that would block him from helping being the ‘stupid’ - described by Skeppy - fear of planes.

Flight take off had to be the thing Bad was dreading most, how the plane would shake with turbulence. Flashing hints of orange reflecting his glasses indicating people to stay seated and to fasten their seatbelts would play, the scene being normal to most yet all Bad was hearing were screams of _danger._

He had built up to this moment in his head for two weeks, just manually reassuring himself that when he was sat in the chair, everything would be okay, despite the screaming thoughts in his head telling him to do anything but stay calm and collected. 

He knew freaking out would just make everything worse, everything he had ever done to attempt and calm his nerves shattered and broken just because he couldn’t handle _tubilance._

Plane rides were never described as enjoyable. Bad knew that yet he frequently found himself pondering on how he couldn’t even lie to himself by describing the soon due, four plane ride to be tolerable at this moment in time. As much as it embarrassed him to no end and he would sure to get endless hours of teasing out of when he would share the future story, the fussing of his own hands, pulling at the tread of his shirts and finding anything to nitpick that could take him away from being so alone.

At least a part of the mindset was one that made him crack a smile, that made him feel the sunbeams on his paler skin from the light at the end of the tunnel, those thoughts were the ones that deemed themselves the infamous title of _’reassuring’_ it was nice, calming, imagining scenarios of future tellings of the day he was living, making memories of, _stressing over_ until his mind brought him back to the towering reality.

He found himself digging, not sure what for, but searching for something, _anything._

The carry-on bag lied upon Bad’s lap. Leather material clashing against the tighter jeans that clung to his skin. The bag was a reasonable size unlike many other bags that he saw being brought aboard by families, bright colours in their grasp as they swung the carrier side to side, the pace being extremely irritating to the person who sat alone, sounds at booming volume with sights that seemed much more clear, _infuriatingly clear. ___

__Bad pinched the bridge of his nose, the skin burning against the tips of his fingers just slightly, nerves taking over making him completely paranoid and frankly, terrified._ _

__He knew it would turn out like this, hands shaking, knee tapping, breathing picking up in rates. He knew nothing would be different to the last time he travelled on said vehicle._ _

__Finally, to what felt like hours, his hands had become in possession of the slightly familiar box. Ribbon clashing against his burning skin as he let out a sigh of relief._ _

__The ideas of LA seemed like a dream, a yearned for the dream. As Bad imagined his place in the shoes of living upon the hussle, he couldn’t prevent his lips from curving. How he would fit into the crowds so perfectly, become a part of the life with flashy lights, tall building and _Skeppy.__ _

__He pulled the box out of the bag. Before opening the smaller container, he admired it. It’s colours that mixed into a sky blue wash, smaller dots of light smearing over top, designed to critique, unlike the design his eyes were met with previously, repulsing the sight. It was _beautiful._ He felt silly admiring a cardboard outer layer so carefully yet, he couldn’t help his eyes from wandering across the pattern._ _

__His finger grazed the box as he was returned a feeling of a smooth surface, the complete opposite to what was expected from the chestnut haired man._ _

__Though his time of admiring was cut short from an announcement, rumbles of wheels against the ground at racing speeds, matched with the heavy breathing of the passenger._ _

__Before he could think, he ripped open the lid, careful enough to not cause any harm yet so reckless that it caught a few, alarmed, unwanted stares from other passengers who were ripped from minding their own business._ _

__They all looked away, eventually. A lot of the eyes meeting with glass which gave a clear view of the town, overhead views._ _

__The gloves were some he had never seen before, his own mind pondered on how much money and time was spent searching for such said pair._ _

__The leather was unreasonably soft, a feeling that was unfamiliar to the man though he loved the few discovery._ _

__The shape and design were perfect, the tips of the gloves were cut short with red lacing preventing any unwanted loose threads pulling and tugging against pointed nails and rough edges. Smaller holes were designed on the knuckles made to expose the skin beneath. The buckle that was at the edge of the gloves was so silver, reflecting the colours around Bad perfectly._ _

__He wondered of how they could be so simple yet so complex, all at the same time; tailored to perfection, personalised so well. They fit perfectly, it made sense, they were designed just for him but it still blew his mind from why something could just feel so right._ _

__They were enough for him to slow his breathing and catch hold of his surroundings._ _

__While lost in the trance, he hadn’t even taken notice of the sudden change in height, nor heard the announcement letting passengers know it was okay to relax._ _

___Maybe the flight wouldn’t be too bad after all._ _ _

__-  
The flight wasn’t what he assumed it was, sleep taking over after the first half an hour of being free to do whatever you felt free to do so. The landing was something he didn’t even take notice of. It had to be one of the most relieving feelings to exit the claustrophobic plane after endless hours of restricted sleep. _ _

__Even when Bad slept the entire time, he couldn’t deny the nightmares and bad thoughts that took over his subconscious headspace, though, he settled on taking the bad dreams over the frantic worries and fiddles caused by being awake and living in a place he had forever been afraid of._ _

__People gave him troubled looks and furrowed eyebrows when he began to panic from waking up, wondering what a grown man was doing stressing over something that spooked their children, he paid no notice to the entitled strangers' stares._ _

__Taxi cabs were such a cliche part to the plan, the entire scenario just reminded him completely of a cheesy rom-com, lover chasing after oblivious idiot in the large city. Fate takes them by surprise as they call the same cab over, sharing until the man takes the girl's hand and runs away into the night._ _

__Bad had always had a tendency to despise predictable scenes, the man kisses girl’s hand, takes her where she wanted to go, yada yada yada._ _

__His sister was utterly obsessed with the said plot when they were teenagers, Bad falling victim to just watch since, back then, affording another television set in the family was a first class expectation, their family very much not falling into the category, Bad didn’t know anyone that did at the time._ _

__So when he found himself calling over a cab and not running into a stranger who swept him off his feet, he couldn’t help but set a frown._ _

__Even though he despised them as a kid, the theme seemed to grow onto him when he began getting his head locked into a book, living another life in the pages from the library._ _

__Bad knew he shouldn’t have expected such events but he couldn’t help but _hope.__ _

__He didn’t seem to get as lost in the car ride this time, paying the generous driver and making his way to anywhere that his feet brought him._ _

__To no surprise, he found himself eventually getting lost in everything around him, again._ _

__Towering buildings, so many of them, everywhere. If Bad was new to the surroundings in front of his eyes, he would have said this could be deemed as stressful or overwhelming, yet, the atmosphere was so familiar from it recurring in his dreams constantly that he didn’t bat another eye._ _

__It was so pretty, colourful and everything he had ever imagined, even without the companion he had dreamt it with, figures side by side admiring the landscape._ _

__That made him think with a puzzled look, confused about why something felt _missing.__ _

__The plan went perfectly, Bad being stood in the prime city of teenagers and booze and he still felt like there was a piece he was missing to feel complete._ _

___Skeppy._ _ _

__He wasn’t sure how he could have forgotten. Mutual excused running through Bad’s mind, yet, none of them felt right to settle upon._ _

__It was silly, really. How he had packed up and left so suddenly that the main priority was so out of league._ _

__How would he get to him, was the real question he found asking himself. How he would reach the tanned man, hold him like he wanted to so desperately._ _

__He had no idea where the man could be, not a single clue. Yes, he was in LA, the place Skeppy was to be exact from slight descriptions a few months ago but there had to be _thousnads_ of other humans who robbed the same air. The chances of finding him were extremely slim._ _

__He was here, he was waiting, for what? Without Skeppy, Rat being at home was a thought that made his heartache, how he was so reckless and now was frozen, stuck from making another wrong move. It would have been okay to leave everything behind if he had reasoning for it, if Skeppy allowed it, but here he was, staring at the bright hues of an advertisement wall. Flashy colours jumbling together into one big mess of rainbow painted on a display board._ _

__There was so much to go wrong, so much that could lead him to be shut down by the man he admired most, sent home and left with a turned back, a glare as cold as ice, scolding Bad for even attempting to try help, Skeppy taking the impression that he thought he was _weak.__ _

__Still, there was so much that could lead to everything going exactly the way he planned. He could run to his arms, warmth and home washing over him, the scent of the one he loved would be discovered, they would be together, finally._ _

__He was so lost in thought that he hadn’t even realised the person in front of him asking a question, Bad staring blankly into the eyes of deep brown._ _

__A raven haired mop upon his head, messily unkempt, clearly disregarded by the person who stood in front of him. The striking eyes took him by surprise, the amount of shades of brown inside the orbs was so mesmerising, Bad found himself getting lost in the sea before he was pulled out by the sharper words that stung into him, making his eyes go wide._ _

__“Hi! Can you help me with something?”_ _

__The sentence would have been completely normal to the average person, a stranger asking help from a generous enough looking stranger but everything went _so_ wrong in the moment when the tone of voice rang through Bad’s ears._ _

__There was one name running through his mind at that moment, replaying on a loop._ _

___Skeppy, that was Skeppy._ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate airport scenes so much, I delayed this so much and the only thing that kept me going to write this chapter was the cliff hangers and angry comments I'm going to receive :D
> 
> Special thanks to Opelqie just for being cool and a really good friend, love u <33
> 
> Twitter account: t1yrol
> 
> Thank you for sticking around so far, Comments are VERY appreciated.


	4. Persona

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pranks were meant to be harmless, nice and lighthearted, this one would be the same,
> 
> ...Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is written in the sense that Skeppy doesn't recognize Bad by his real name and face. Although it's unrealistic because Skeppy literally uses Bad face like 3 times when editing, its a fanfiction and you have to change things to make it interesting. Keep that in mind!

He was so, _so_ pretty in real life. Bad knew that the facecam streams he would do were something to admire but he couldn’t prepare himself for the fact he would be in much higher quality in real life, the sun gleaming down on his tanned skin making a light glow.

Bad notices Skeppy’s hands had been shaking nervously, fidgeting back and forth deciding on what to do with them, from bunching his sweater in his palms, creating the infamous sweater paws and bringing on to his mouth waiting for a response or fidgeting with the other hand; never quite finding something comfortable enough that calmed his nerves.

Bad couldn’t get over how the man looked in glasses, the neutral tones glasses sliding against his nose so carefully, slowly slipping up every time his sweater brushed against the frames. It wasn’t often he saw the sight, actually, now that he came to think about it, the image in front of him had to be as often as his views received, which frequently disappointed Bad, he wanted _more._

It had to be common for Skeppy to leave the house in glasses, replacing contact lenses. Unlike usual on streams or recorded videos, where he would put in the time to apply them, and when he didn’t, Bad never heard the end of how the plastic arms of said frames pushed against the side of his head uncomfortably, headset pressed against them taking it much more uncomfortable to endure.

It was too much for Bad, the shock of it all crashing down on him like a tidal wave. How his frame stood in front of Bad’s shaking one with such innocence and a pure oblivious stare striking daggers through his paler skin.

He had been endlessly staring into the adoring brown eyes, lost in thought from anything farthest away from reality, longing for an escape. Skeppy’s hands fiddling on repeat, aimlessly finding something new to rest on, take their mind off the non-responding man in front of him.

Bad hadn’t even led his mind into the thought of how strange it was for him to stand there, staring into his eyes, who should be a complete stranger and so he was forced to snap back into the reality of it all; standing in front of a tall, peering building just _staring_ at Skeppy.

He hadn’t quite intended their first meetup to be this way. In fact, the complete opposite, really.

Though it was constantly avoided by the brunet, it wasn’t like he didn’t dream of the day, also.

He expected running into arms, leaping, almost. Smiles of glee and complete loving stares but, in front of him in the given moment was just _blank._ Closed arms, stiff eyes staring back to his and the idea of love at the moment seemed like one of the furthest away things someone could hope for.

_Even further apart than Bad felt to Skeppy right now._

“Y-yeah sure, watchya’ need?” Bad was first to break the silence, complete awkwardness spewing from his lips, the stutter in his voice making his eyes fall shut tightly in embarrassment. 

“Well, I- So,” 

If Bad was being completely honest he had to assume this was for some kind of planned video, his own disappearance creating a void in ideas and content, Skeppy out of resources for substitutes for his best friend so he goes outside, to the unfamiliar outdoors and goes up to random strangers. 

He wasn’t expecting him to be so nervous, stopping at the first few words that were more like a mess of syllables creating a nonfunctional sentence. 

His brain was fuzzy on the idea that Skeppy didn’t recognize him. How, if this _was_ for a video, he would be left with no choice but to shut down Skeppy’s assumed upcoming request because, there was no way his fanbase would let their accusations slide, quickly figuring out who the ‘stranger’ was in the thumbnail.

Bad wasn’t one to do facecam streams, in fact, the last time he can place his mind on the occasion had to be _years_ ago.

It was all going downhill and he was falling _fast._

Though Bad didn’t ever come to a final idea that resembled somewhat features of a study plan, he still, never expected _this_ of all things that seemed destined to happen on his trip, staring into the eyes directly; ones he always gazed into from afar, planned to continue that way, the way he liked it- well, until now.

“Can I be completely honest with you right now?” The should be stranger to Bad added after his endless amount of stuttering and jumbled out words. Bad knows he should be wary about the next words that come out of the other's mouth after he sends him a nod in confirmation to continue but he can’t help to wash away his worries and picking fingers at the curled over skin that was found at the tips of his fingers.

“I actually- uh well, I don’t really have a reason to be standing in front of you right now— I know it sounds completely abnormal and cheesy but I just felt as if there was a magnet to pull us together or something.” Bad’s eyes widened at the response. It was far from what he had been playing in his head or even something that sounded within Skeppy’s vocabulary.

He knew people could be different off-camera and on-camera —talking from his own experiences— but from all the private calls covered by a curtain of silent creaks where they enjoyed each other's even breaths echo through the line would he maybe have a chance to see the side of him. He thought he already _had_ seen the side of him that many others hadn’t, well, until now.

Bad thought that maybe he would be transparent to his online persona; but no, here he was, covers down exposing his true self to a complete _stranger._ It made Bad’s heart weep and feel as if there was a slight crack in the beating organ but before he could leave his facade of complete oblivion fall down and let out a frowned expression, Skeppy began to talk again, still in complete mumbles.

“I’m sorry- I, this was a stupid idea. Forget what I said, please.” Bad looked up from his red shoes that were pinned to his feet with softening eyes barley lidded open, looking into the ones that were filled with regret in front of him.

“Hey, no— it’s okay!” Bad abruptly grabs the wandering hand and holds it in his own, paler one; fingers lacing themselves around the tanned palm. The eyes flicker down to see the almost interlaced hands before glancing back at the green orbs and sending over a shaky, half toothed smile.

Bad feels his heart flutter inside his chest, a familiar feeling yet this time it felt much, _much_ more complete, like it was born to do so, he sends a smile right back at Skeppy, his eyes being an unspoken reassuring pool of forest green.

The city lights gloomed onto the domestic-looking pair as they stared into each other’s eyes. Though Skeppy interrupted Bad’s glances at the landscape with a strange goal in mind, uneasy and half made out, the brunet knew why those feelings sparked deep in the raven’s chest, why he was so drawn to be held in Bad’s arms. Just because they were meant for each other.

Bad barley believed in soulmates, maybe this wasn’t the deemed description but- whatever title this would be, he didn’t care. Skeppy’s hand in his own was enough for now, the way he always dreamed of.

“So, mystery boy, what name belongs to you?” They walked almost hand in hand down unfamiliar streets enjoying each other’s company, Bad hadn’t even noticed the slight pull he was receiving as Skeppy walk at a slightly faster pace than the normal speed. Bad’s hand was straining from the constant light tug before he stepped faster to match up with Skeppy’s footsteps.

The man hadn’t even given a second thought at the fact that he was still a complete stranger to the man he knows the most out of every living being.

Was he supposed to reveal that he was who the persona ‘Bad’ belonged to? He wasn’t even sure if he wanted to at the point of time in living, though, wouldn’t so much go wrong if he kept it a secret? 

Skeppy treated Bad different when he didn’t know they were the famous duo, he treated him like a piece of treasure he had been searching for, longing for in sleepless night and strained eyes after staring blankly out of tainted, dirty glass windows. Why? Bad wasn’t sure but, all he knew was how much he liked it.

He was afraid really, afraid for Skeppy on how quickly he had grown to trust the brunet, how he was walking down darkening vacant streets alone with him. If Bad wasn’t himself then what would happen to Skeppy, what fate would he bring for himself from trusting a stranger so easily? Questions went unanswered but Bad _needed_ answers; first, he would have to deal with the matter at hand.

What were the consequences? _Surely_ it couldn’t be that Bad in pulling off a few lies, right? Skeppy had gone through with so many ruthless pranks in the two years of friendship, Bad got over every single one, no matter how deep of a scar it left because he was a sucker for Skeppy’s broken apologizes, late-night calls filled with light sobs, ending with a silent ‘Goodnight, I love you.’ He couldn’t say no to the man.

And really, he imagined how much he would get out of it, the laughs of the aftermath of Skeppy finally finding out the tricks he pulled, the responses he would revive of Twitter, everything. It was just a light, harmless prank, nothing more. Not because of the sneaking around with Skeppy he would receive in return, giggles as they walked in the gleaming moonlight, kisses they could share- No, it was all for the content. 

A prank, a little harmless prank, Skeppy wouldn’t mind..., right?

“My name’s Darryl.”

“I’m Zak, nice to meet you, Darryl.”

Oh _shit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to come out! I've been struggling to do this for a while and although this isn't my usual word count, I intend on having a chapter 5 out soon! I just thought that If I continued this with the original chapter plan, it wouldn't fit with the scene so expect an update hopefully soon!
> 
> Comments are VERY appreciated.


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